Union is the wrong word

Scan page 12

MORE ART! unemployment benefit.

You will not have been aware, because the decision to withhold benefit has not been made openly, but in a manner so as to attract the least amount of attention.

During the recent period of industrial action by the Civil Service unions, the Records Division at Newcastle was closed down. This made it impossible to pay claimants sickness and unemployment benefit on their individual records.

In most cases, flat rate benefit has been paid under an emergency procedure, but unless claimants were aware, and able to produce duplicate P 60s, earnings related benefit was not of their benefit entitlement, unless they present themselves at the benefit office and demand their rights!

CLPs, trade unions and trades councils should mount campaigns to expose this secretive and underhand way in which the Tories are depriving working people of their rights.

They should be supporting workers fighting to bring down this classridden Thatcher governrent, and should lead the struggle to form a workers' government which will represent the interests of the working class.

Yours fraternally.

TOM GUTHRIE SO supporter Manchester I DON'T know whether Mick Jarmaine (SO 49) confuses workers, but his letter sure confuses me.

In para 3 Mick tells us that through the Unemployed Workers' Union in Leicester he has encouraged those who have never been in a trade union before to join one, and then in para 5 he claims that union rules don't permit this and that it will take years before rule changes will allow it.

Is Mick like the late lamented Martin Peters, years ahead of his time?

In any case he's wrong.

The broad picture was shown in a recent Labour Research survey.

This showed that of Britain's 50 biggest unions, six (in the Civil Service and the Post Office) do not allow unemployed members.

24 have rules which prevent the recruitment of he unemployed. 12 have rules which are either silent on this matter or specifically state that the unemployed may be recruited but at full contributions.

Three allow members in training to join with limited rights to benefit; and five permit the unemployed to join with full rights and reduced contributions.

The problem is obviously influenced by the size and coverage of different unions, but apart from the rules, the contributions ruito barrier should not be underestimated.

However, there are loopholes which can be exploited. In the TGWU, for example. there is no explicit exclusion by rule.

Moreover, avoiding full contributions does not depend on awaiting the next rules revision but on favourable interpretation of a rule which provides for special categories of mem: pay 20p and receive nalt benefit.

This is far from satisfactory but it provides the starting point for a fight within Britain's biggest There are similar provisions in other rulebooks, and the TUC's position provides legitimacy and a lever.

THE INTERESTING article on Socialist Organiser no. 49 "Picasso's Picassos" in was welcome.

Art (not just painting and sculpture, but also novels, drama, poetry and the various types of music)

is, like all the positive creations of humanity, distorted by the restrictions of bourgeois society. it is oriented towards a minority and is restricted by the commercial processes of capitalism.

A regular "SO Arts"

feature (along the lines of the useful "SO Science").

The Unemployed Workers' Unions have made clear that they support dual membership. The problem is that this position can play into the hands of those who are opposed to a powerful unemployed movement within the The TUC has stated its opposition to specific unemployed workers' unions. The Guardian recently would be a positive addition to the paper. It would go further towards fulfilling one of the important functions of a socialist newspaper * analysing important and relevant aspects of life from a working class viewpoint.

Discussion of art in all its varieties revolutionary, conservative or reactionary, should be encouraged in a balanced labour movement newspaper. Perhaps other reported the case of Bob Cooper, who claimed that the T&G had removed him from a Trades Council and tried to expel him from the union on the grounds of dual loyalties because of his involvement with an unemployed workers' union, which had gone as far as applying to the Certification Office for listing as an independent trade union.

I do feel that John McHeath (SO 46) is right, and that the use of the term unemployed workers' union rather than group or council is important.

It is a tactical error which gived a pretext and legitimacy to those who wish to wilfully misunderstand and use arguments about dual unionism to mobilise the genuinely confused.

CAROL HOBBS, Bolton.

AS A reader of Socialist Organiser who used to follow Socialist Press, I would just like to say how much the new Socialist Organises has impressed me: both in coverage of industry, and the general evout.

Char is not to say ma Soccie Fress did not do its job, but there is a great improvement. To me this must reflect the strengths of Socialist Organiser and Soc ialist Press supporter:

combined in the weekly.

KEN BALL Princess track, Cowley Assembly Plant, BL Socialist STOP 31,000 say:

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Combined strength